Even after accounting for things like smoking, weight, and illness, women with worse childhoods still have higher levels of this inflammation-related chemical in their blood.
Scientific Claim
The association between childhood maltreatment and free 8-isoprostane persists after adjusting for age, smoking, BMI, autoimmune disease, and acute illness, suggesting the link is not explained by common confounders of oxidative stress.
Original Statement
“In study cohort II, the influence of potential confounders for oxidative stress measurements (smoking, obesity, autoimmune diseases, non-Caucasian ethnicity, acute intake of psychotropic medication, and acute illness) was minimized using exclusion criteria... Age was included as covariate in the statistical analyses of study cohort II...”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The claim correctly describes the confounder control methods and the persistence of the association. It avoids causal language and accurately reflects the study’s analytical approach.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
The Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Lipid Peroxidation and DNA Damage in Postpartum Women
The study found that women who experienced childhood trauma had higher levels of a specific chemical marker of stress in their blood, even after accounting for things like age, smoking, and weight — suggesting the link isn’t just because of those other factors.